FRESH DIRT | Cycra, CV4, Thor, Factory Effex, Obie

Cycra is one of the first names in dirt bike plastics and protection and the Ultra Probend Hand Guard is their new premium offering when it comes to protecting your digits. Right off the bat, these things are beefy. The aluminum bars are CNC billet and have both a bend near the clamping area to give clearance for controls and one at the bar-end area for hand mobility. The shields have closable vents, but honestly, we think they just look really cool. Plus there are plenty of color options. So far, the only downside we can see is that they are not light - all that burly protection comes at a small weight cost.

There is no denying that a colored hose kit can boost the bling factor of a bike, yet they do more than just look good. Silicon hoses have unique properties that are typically superior to stock rubber hoses. For starters, they have a higher temperature rating, higher burst pressure, and are more abrasion resistance than O.E.M. hoses. What makes CV4’s Radiator Silicone Hose Kit different than other silicone hoses is that, for certain models, they offer a Y-Kit, pictured above. The Y-Kit name is referring to how the hoses meet each other. Most stock hose routing has T-junctions where the hoses meet perpendicularly. But the Y hoses meet at acute angles and which increase flow and reduce the amount of turbulence in the hoses.

Most modern goggles have “outriggers” that hold the strap farther out and normally offer a better seal on the riders face. But Thor’s new Sniper Chase goggle has flush strap junctions that have a clean look. But, the goggle itself is pretty deep so it should still sit pretty deep in the helmet and offer a solid seal. The top and bottom sections of the frame have tons of holes for ventilation and there is 14mm, dual-layer face foam for comfort and sweat absorption. Although the lens is not rigid like some newer goggles, the frame sections around the brow are injection molded so that the goggle holds its contour.

Most people know Factory Effex for their graphics, which, as you can see, are always in style. What you might not know is that FX now has many other products like hard parts, seat covers, plastics, hose kits and more. We’ve use Factory Effex for many of our project bikes and we’ve always had a quick turnaround time and graphics that are cut perfectly to match the bike.

This is a simple product that we are not sure why didn’t exist until recently. It is a skid plate extender that protects your bike’s linkage while also making it easier to slide over rocks, logs, and the like. One down side is that you have to already have a skid plate, but this is a simpler solution than some of the other linkage protectors on the market. The obvious benefits are that it helps prevent damage to your bike’s linkage and prevents it from digging into obstacles, but it also keeps your linkage cleaner, which is good for all those bearings and seals.